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Repotting Questions
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Posted by
callygirl085 9 (
My Page) on
Tue, Mar 27, 07 at 14:49
| I was wondering when EXACTLY should I repot my brush cherry? I just got my new bonsai soil in the mail from Hollow Creek Farms. And I'm anxiously waiting to get it out of the gross potting soil it's currently in. I know you say "spring time" so is now a good time?? I don't want to do anything too early and risk killing it. And also once I repot it, what conditions should I put it in. A more shady or sunny spot? Should I keep watering it how I'm doing right now (every 3-4 days once half of soild or more is dry) or water more or less frequently than that. I really want to LEARN about the art of bonsai, I don't want to do the try and FAIL method. All of your suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your help. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Repotting Questions
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| When it comes to plants, there's no 'exact' anything. They're not machines, but living things with differences just like people, and where they live makes a lot of difference too. You didn't say if you're keeping it indoors or not (and where you live might just be warm enough to have it outside, so I can't tell). If it's in, and has been all along, you can do it almost any time, though spring is best as it does know the difference in the amount of light it gets in a window. If there were some schedule that regulated when to repot every single type of tree in every environment in which week of which season, it still wouldn't cover individual genetic diffs, so you learn to read the signs - i.e. are new buds forming, is the tree using more water than it did over winter, etc. Eugenia ('genies') always like lots of sun, but also humidity, so wide, stony trays with water coming to just below (never touching) the pots are good ideas. Depending on what you use for new 'soil' (more grit than anything is good) you'll end up watering more often, but that's relative depending on how your tree reacts to it, given the sun it gets, the time of year, etc. and you need to learn to read its signals. I would not just keep watering daily or whenever, but watch it for just a slightly tired look (not outright wilted) and see if watering perks it up or vice versa, but no one can tell you for sure when to do it, just to understand better what genies need (vs house plants, or other types of trees). |
RE: Repotting Questions
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| Also, to help determine when to water, stick a chopstick about 2-3 inches into the soil. Pull out the chopstick to feel if it's wet or dry every few days. When it's dry, water the plant. This "high tech" method seems to work pretty well with my bonsai plants. |
RE: Repotting Questions
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| I just repotted today and I think it's going to do alot better. I think I found the reason it wasn't doing real well. I just watered it yesterday so I thought the soil would be nice and moist and easier for me to repot, but I was wrong. I don't know if there was still glue residue on the top or if the soil was just too compacted, but other then the top surface and the sides the soil was super dry. I don't think that the water even got to through all the soil the whole time I've had it. If this is true, it explains alot. I hope that my lil genie will do alot better then it has now that it can finally get the water it craves. Thanks for all your help. |
RE: Repotting Questions
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| The problem with peat (what mall-sai are usually potted in, and what 'potting' soil in bags is usually made from) is that when it's wetted properly, it takes way too long to dry out, but once it does, it takes way too long to wet it again! I hope you added a ton of grit or perlite! |
RE: Repotting Questions
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| The soil mix that I got is double screened All purpose bonsai soil from hollow creek farms, it's made up of 70% aggregate (haydite, fired clays & sized bedrock) and 30% Organic (pine bark mulch). It's VERY gritty and it's going to be 100% better then the peaty crap they put it in. I just hope that I repotted it before it was too late. http://www.stonelantern.com/images/btsoil.jpg
(here's a close up picture of the soil) |
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